Take a drive along the coast of California and you’ll see lots of footpaths leading from the roadside into tall weeds and thickets. Do yourself a favor sometime and venture down a few of those trails. We did, and these are photos of what we found on the other side.

*     *     *

Writers’ Police Academy

* Please, please, please register for your hotel rooms! They’re going fast, and I’ve only managed to secure a limited number. There are several other large events in the area the same weekend as our event. The hotel will not bill you for the room until check in. Remember, the hotel is providing free shuttle service to and from the airport, and to and from the academy. They’re also providing free breakfast for registered guests who’re attending the Writers’ Police Academy. All that for a mere $79 per night. I’ve never, ever seen a deal like that at any other writer event.

* Important Notice – We are very, very close to reaching capacity for the FATS training. So close, I can actually see the last seat in the class. Please register now to reserve your spot!

The Don Knotts Silver Bullet Novel Writing Contest is now open! Enter to win free academy registration, the Silver Bullet Award, and a special surprise involving Algonkian conferences.

California is one of my favorite places in the world. The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Carmel is simply breathtaking. Since we’re getting more snow this weekend here in the suburbs of Mayberry, I thought it would be nice to visit good old California again, even if it’s only a photographic visit.

In case you haven’t heard, we’re hosting a big event in September called the Writers’ Police Academy. I’m pretty excited about the academy because it’s truly one of the coolest writer’s events ever (and I’ve attended more than my fair share, and yours, too).

While at the Writers’ Police Academy, you’ll have the opportunity to train just like real officers. The best part of it all is that you’ll be doing this training in a real police academy, using real police equipment, in workshops taught by real police officers and police academy instructors.

Ever wonder how someone reacts after being sprayed with pepper spray? You’ll soon see because we’re actually going to spray someone (a police officer volunteer). How about the effects of a Taser? Yep, we’re doing that, too. And…we’re going to investigate an accident, set a real building on fire and then put it out, toss a concussion grenade, shoot, handcuff people, dust for fingerprints, develop prints with Superglue, spray luminol, load a body into an ambulance, and, well, the list is simply too long to include here. But you get the idea. Oh, and mega-superstar Jeffery Deaver is our keynote speaker!

In addition to helping writers get their facts straight and saving lives during the rest of the year, many of our instructors attend Guildford Technical Community College’s criminal justice programs for their basic and in-service training needs. This program has made the Writers Police Academy a reality. Without them, we would have no event. Without the police officers who dedicate their time to help authors, we could still be writing about cordite and .357 shotguns.

So, it’s time for us to return the favor, folks. The college’s Criminal Justice Foundation needs our help. They need funds to continue offering quality training. For example, when I first met with the criminal justice officials to propose and discuss this event, I noticed an empty TV bracket hanging on the wall in the training academy. I asked why there was no TV and was quickly told that they’d run out of funding before the the project could be completed. So the bracket remains, waiting for the day when they have enough cash in the bank to purchase a monitor.

Sure, the profits from the Writers Police Academy are going to the Criminal Justice Foundation, and that’s a wonderful start. But now we’re reaching out to those of you who can’t come to the academy but want to repay the kindness and generosity these law enforcement professionals have shown to the writing community. Many of these officers and experts are the folks who provide technical information for this blog, so you may have used their services without realizing it.

How can you help? Easy. We’re holding a raffle during the event and all we’re asking is that you send us items, such as signed copies of your books, or other items of interest, to place in the baskets. I sent out an email yesterday to several writing groups and the response has been fantastic, but we still need more. I’d really like the college to see just how generous and thoughtful writers really are.

So, if you have something you’d like to contribute, please send me an email at lofland32@msn.com, and I’ll provide you with all the details.

Thank you so much. See you in a few months!

By the way, I’m pleased to announce that singer Joe Bonsall, along with the rest of the popular singing group, The Oak Ridge Boys, is now a generous supporter of the Writers’ Police Academy.

We left Boston and moved to North Carolina to get away from the bitter cold and tons of snow. Well, as you can see the snow followed us. Grrr…

It’s here now so I may as well try to enjoy it. I think I’ll listen to mother’s favorite Christmas song while I do. Happy Holidays.

Taser use by police is on the rise. So is the number of assaults on police officers. And a visit to this blog on Fridays is a grim reminder of the number of officers who lose their lives each week. Are the assault on officers and Taser use incidents related? Possibly.

Sure, some Taser deployments aren’t necessary and that’s unfortunate. But keep in mind that officers have mere seconds to decide how to react to a suspect’s actions. Their split second decisions could mean life or death.

No one could possibly know what goes on in the mind of the officers making those decisions. We only see the dash cam or bystander videos, and that’s not the same thing as facing the danger at that particular moment. I can say from experience that what looks like a perfectly harmless situation to the public may be perceived as life-threatening to the officer.

A police officer’s job is not for the faint of heart. Believe me, when you pin on that badge it’s time to keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times because the ride from that moment on is rough.

I’m not defending or condemning the actions of anyone. But I will say that I’m not a fan of Taser use in every situation. I think there needs to be a tougher standard and better training. However, I’m all for everyone going home at the end of the day and if it takes a 50,000 volt blast of electricity to make that happen, then so be it. There are lots of little girls and boys out there who should never have to grow up without their mommy or daddy.

Now, there are use of force situations that don’t require split-second thinking and those are the incidents I normally hear about from you guys.

The question I receive more than any other regarding use of force is:

Do some officers overreact, resorting to a higher level of force than is justified for the situation at hand?

You be the judge. Is better training needed? Are officers faced with too much stress? Is the use of force used in these videos justified?

I’d like to hear your opinions on Taser use in law enforcement.

By the way, we’ll be discussing and demonstrating Tasers at the Writers Police Academy. You’ll actually see someone shot with a Taser. We’ll also be demonstrating pepper spray use. Yep, we really do have live volunteers who’ve agreed to be blasted so you can see the effects up close. You’ll never forget the sensations. There are sounds, sights, and smells that you’ll be anxious to transfer to paper. Personally, I can’t wait to read the books written after the authors graduate from our academy. Registration opens Monday and space is limited!